jesus-culture – Ben Ward

Your Love Never Fails (CD/DVD and/or MP3 download)

I was a big fan of the previous Jesus Culture release We Cry Out. I thought many of the versions of the worship songs were better than the originals. Bethel has a special atmosphere of worship and their recordings convey it.

What prompted me to buy the download of this album was a conference I went to in April where Kim Walker from Jesus Culture was leading worship. At first I was skeptical because everyone thinks she is so great (There’s something in me – and I don’t think it’s a good thing – that makes it so hard to jump on the bandwagon…I’m working on it!). But after a couple of sessions, I was in a new place of worship. She doesn’t face the congregation when she’s leading in her pursuit of giving all the focus to God. Chris Quilala was also there playing drums and leading.

Your Love Never Fails, like We Cry Out, features Kim, Chris, and Melissa How alternating the role of worship leader. The Spirit is strong as they lead us into the presence of the Lord. The standout is a John Mark and Sarah McMillan song, “Sing My Love.” Such an intimate yet celebratory expression:

You would not believe

The way He touches me

He burns right through me

I could not forget

Every word He said

He always knew me

I highly recommend this album…learn the songs and sing them!

I first read about John Mark McMillan after I googled the writer of “How He Loves.” I heard it on the Jesus Culture (Kim Walker) album We Cry Out. It is such a powerful song and even though I’ve never been quite able to get cozy with the “sloppy wet kiss” line, the song still moves me. There’s no doubt the Spirit is all over it. I also read his blog and enjoy his views on all sorts of things from songwriting to sleeping in on Easter (not to mention his appreciation of Springsteen, which I’ve been known to share :).

So I was excited to download his newest album, The Medicine, a couple months ago. If I was going to make a comparison voice/soundwise it would be to Shawn Mullins. The writing is original and intricate; full of striking imagery and evocative sounds. The production is intricate and you truly get an album born in the studio with a soundscape of layers that reveal themselves in new ways with each listen.

“Carbon Ribs” exemplifies this with its plucked strings and layers of electric guitars. There is a definite moodiness to the track as it explores the wonder of being dead but yet alive.

My favorite track, “Dress Us Up,” contains a lyric that took my breath away (literally) when I first heard it. It begins, “Dress us up in your righteousness/Bring us in with a ring and a kiss/When you walk into the room you know we can’t resist/Every bottle of perfume always ends up on the floor in a mess.” I don’t think I’ve heard a more original description of what happens when Jesus comes in a room: we have to worship. If there’s perfume (as with Mary in John 12) the bottles come out and we pour it on His feet. We give Him the very best of what we have — it’s automatic. He elicits this kind of response when we see Him for who He really is.

There are many other standouts like “Skeleton Bones” and “Philadelphia,” but I recommend digesting it as a whole album. Turn off the shuffle and enjoy a well thought-out and imagined work of art.

Tag: jesus-culture

Jesus Culture – Your Love Never Fails

John Mark McMillan – The Medicine